State Sen. Tom Sawyer, D-Akron, has been elected to the board of Population Connection, America's largest organization working to address the challenges posed by population growth.

Sawyer, a former congressman, has long championed measures like university access to family planning and reproductive health care in the U.S. and around the world, Population Connection noted in a press release.

Here are a few leftover nuggets from Gov. John Kasich's State of the State speech in Medina Monday that didn't make it into our package today.

* Big flag: The giant flag Kasich spoke in front of -- a mainstay during his annual speech -- was made at the Ohio State Reformatory for Women in Marysville. The governor donates the flag to the host location, which means Medina High School just got a big flag.

The Akron area is getting a new radio station that will focus on local politics, music, art, healthy living and working-class issues.

The Federal Communication Commission recently approved a construction permit for Radio Free Akron, which will begin broadcasting on 96.9 FM in about 18 months, according to a news release issued today.

Former State Rep. Seth Morgan will speak at the monthly meeting of the Portage County TEA Party.

Morgan, who ran unsuccessfully for state auditor in 2010, losing to Auditor Dave Yost, will discuss his newly released book "It's About Liberty, Stupid!" He is a frequent speaker and writer for the tea party.

Cities and counties are losing, while schools are winning in Ohio's gambling game.

Tom Sheeran from the Associated Press reports that declining casino revenue has cut into the amount cities and counties are receiving. The schools, though, have been getting more because of the growth of racetrack slots.

Two proposals passed by an Ohio House legislative committee would shorten the early-voting period and limit who can mail out absentee applications, the Associated Press reported.

One would eliminate what has been dubbed the "Golden Week," which is a week when people can both register and vote early. The other would only allow the Ohio Secretary of State to mail out absentee applications -- and only if the legislature had allocated the money for this.

U.S. Reps. Marcia Fudge, Dave Joyce, Jim Renacci and Tim Ryan sent a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in response to a recent federal study that outlined options to stop Asian Carp, but didn't recommend the best approach.

The editorial page in Monday's Beacon Journal included a feature that's been missing for several years: a local political cartoon.

The cartoon showed Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic holding a letter to Akron citizens and saying, "Of course I would love to sit down and clear the air about this unfortunate incident." The mayor, though, is shown fanning the flames of a fire underneath a chair beside him, with copies of his letter smoldering in the blaze.

When long-time city of Akron photographer Bruce Ford retired, he didn't want the Beacon Journal to do a profile on him, saying he preferred to stay out of the limelight.

Ford will offer a rare glimpse into his many years of capturing what was going on in Akron during the monthly Downtown Kiwanis luncheon at noon Thursday at the Portage Country Club, 240 N. Portage Path.